Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
These moist and dense pumpkin bars are loaded with pumpkin spice flavor and topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting. It’s like pumpkin pie meets pumpkin cake in one easy and delicious dessert.
What are pumpkin bars?
Pumpkin bars are dessert bars made with pumpkin puree. Some are fluffy like a cake and some are dense and chewy like a brownie. Most are topped with some sort of frosting, most commonly cream cheese frosting.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- Easy to make – The bars are made by hand and the frosting is made in one bowl. Each takes only about 10 minutes of prep.
- Can be made in advance – These bars can be made and completely frosted a day in advance, which is great for the busy holiday season. This recipe also makes enough to serve a crowd.
- It’s the best of all pumpkin desserts mashed into one! – If you like pumpkin pie, pumpkin cake, and brownies, then these bars are the perfect dessert for you. They taste like pumpkin pie with the crumbs of a cake and the texture of a chewy brownie. Oh, and don’t forget the cream cheese frosting. It adds a layer of sweet creaminess that pairs perfectly with the flavor of pumpkin spice.
Ingredients you’ll need:
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder &Â baking soda
- pumpkin pie spice (or ground cinnamon)
- eggs &Â vegetable oil
- granulated sugar & brown sugar
- pumpkin puree
- cream cheese & unsalted butter
- powdered sugar
- vanilla extract
How to make pumpkin bars:
(the ingredient amounts are listed in the printable recipe card further below)
- In a medium bowl, toss together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, vegetable oil, sugars, and pumpkin puree.
- Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and stir until just combined.
- Pour the batter into a 9×13″ baking pan lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes.
- Beat the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Mix in the powdered sugar until smooth.
- Spread the cream cheese frosting on the completely cooled cake.
How to store pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting:
Place the bars in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
How to freeze pumpkin bars:
Unfrosted – Place the bars in a freezer ziplock bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Prepare the frosting as instructed and top before serving.
Frosted – Place the bars on a cookie sheet and place in the freezer for about an hour until frozen solid. Individually wrap each bar in saran wrap, place them in a freezer ziplock bag, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Unwrap the bars, place the bars in a Tupperware container with a lid, and thaw overnight in the fridge.
FAQ:
Yes, pumpkin bars need to be refrigerated because of the cream cheese frosting.
Certainly! Options include vanilla buttercream, cinnamon glaze, or even a simple dusting of powdered sugar.
You can customize your pumpkin bars by adding chopped nuts, such as pecans or walnuts, or chocolate chips to the batter. Simply fold them in gently before pouring the batter into the baking pan.
You might also like:
- Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
- Pumpkin Spice Cookies
- Best Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Mini Pumpkin Pies
- Baked Pumpkin Spice Donuts
Did you make this recipe? Please kindly leave a comment with your star rating below.
PrintPumpkin Bars
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 24
- Category: dessert
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
These moist and dense pumpkin bars are loaded with pumpkin spice flavor and topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
Bars:
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice (or cinnamon)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup (250ml) vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup (100g) lightly packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin puree
Frosting:
- 1 (8-oz.) block cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup (114g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups (250g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- more cinnamon for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and line a 9×13″ baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, toss together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, vegetable oil, sugars, and pumpkin puree.
- Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and stir until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely.
- Beat the butter, cream cheese, vanilla, and salt until light and fluffy. Mix in the powdered sugar until smooth and spread on cooled cake. Cut into 24 squares (approximately 2×2″ each).
Notes
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container and kept in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Recipe adapted from Delish.
Omg! This recipe is perfection, I didn’t change a thing, I could eat the whole cake lol. Great job, thanks for sharing it
You’re very welcome, Diane, and thank you for your kind words. Enjoy!
Excellent recipe but I will say, would be better as a sheet cake, pour it in a 12 x 17 sheet pan or something of the like, it was not the right dimensions for ideal delightfulness (when you use a 9x 13) .. so pour in bigger container and bake less time , also double or triple the spices, FOR SURE. Last suggestion, I sprinkled a bit of orange sugar sprinkles on top which made for a lovely addition and added to the fallish ambiance!
Hi Miriam,
Thank you for your kind words and feedback. I guess it’s a matter of personal preference. I’ve made it both 9×13 and 10×15 and actually prefer the smaller pan and thicker bars. I find the texture denser like a brownie. I also think 1 tablespoon of spice is plenty, but I guess I’m not that spicy of a gal, lol.
This recipe is delicious! My family of 5 absolutely love it! Within 20 minutes of putting the frosting on half the cake was gone. It reminds me of a carrot cake which I love but the long list of ingredients and steps always made me say Nope. This one is super easy to make though. The only thing I did differently was substituting butternut squash for the pumpkin because that’s what I had on hand. I will be adding this one to the list of go to desserts.
Thank you for your kind words, Ashley, and I’m so happy to hear your whole family loved it!
Super delicious! My kids love the icing 🙂
So do my kids! Thank you for your comment, Paula, and have a great day!